Tanzania is the classic tourist safari destination, with plenty of both quality and quantity to choose from. The wildlife watching is excellent, and there are plenty of places to explore and activities to do. In fact, even three Tanzania vacations, much less one, would be difficult to cover all of the attractions.
The most well-known northern safari circuitincludes the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater; the lesser-known southern safari circuit includes Selous Game Reserve and Ruaha National Park; and the off-the-beaten-path western safari circuit includes Katavi National Park and the chimpanzee reserves on the shores of Lake Tanganyika. Mountain climbers may be astonished to find that Tanzania is home to Africa’s highest summit. “Mount Kilimanjaro is located on the border of Kenya and Tanzania, but it is ascended from Tanzania.”
Visiting Tanzania, it’s truly depends on your own schedule, time and budget:
For Safari
With many National parks and attractions to choose from our travel consultant can customize a tour which will meet your taste for any schedule throughout the year.
For Mountain Trekking
Long rains do take place in April and May so it isn’t an ideal time to Trek Mount Kilimanjaro or Meru.
Though for Kilimanjaro during this long rains you can trek through the Rongai route which approaches the mountain from the Leeward side hence receive No or Low precipitate throughout the year and also it’s less scenic
The Great Migration is the annual cycle of movement made by over 2 million wildebeest, 250,000 zebras, and 400,000 Thomson gazelles in their continuous search for water and green pasture throughout the Serengeti ecosystem. Every year, the ungulates follow a fairly predictable migration route however the timing of the movement varies from year to year depending on rain patterns, from the vast Serengeti plains to the hills of Kenya’s Masai Mara.
Typically, December to May is considered the green season and the migration can usually be found on the plains in the southern and eastern Serengeti. By late May when the plains start to dry up, the migration will head westwards to the Western Corridor and remain there until around July before heading to the Northern Serengeti. The dry season from late June to October offers the best wildlife viewing in general with the wildlife migration as its absolute highlight. This is when the famous river crossings take place. During the height of the dry season from August to October, a portion of the migration herd will spill across the Kenyan border into the Masai Mara. Usually, by November, the rains will have commenced on the southern plains starting the migration cycle all over again. The best time to visit the Serengeti is from June to September being the dry season; it’s better to be equipped for cool or cold temperatures at night, especially at higher altitudes. In September the temperatures begin to increase, and it can get a bit hot at lower elevations. During October, the short rains season starts. In June, the herds of wildebeest are located in the iii
northwestern park of the park, in the area of the rivers Grumeti and Mara (Mara Region) where you can watch them when crossing rivers, while in July they move to the Masai Mara. At the end of October or in November, the wildebeest return to the Serengeti, when, the short rain season begins. As for other seasons you can choose. January and February, in the “short dry season,” when they are in the southern part of the park or nearby Ngorongoro and are in breeding season. See the great migration map for visual details.
In short:
The Great Migration Calendar
This is the common question for most average climbers and old age hikers.
Mount Kilimanjaro Summit is the most incredible point in Africa. If you don’t Summit Kilimanjaro it does not mean you are not physically fit enough.
Now let’s answer a question on Can I climb Mount Kilimanjaro?
The answer is yes. Every year, over 50,000 people just like you come to Tanzania to climb Kilimanjaro, the world’s tallest free-standing mountain and Africa’s highest peak.
Mount Kilimanjaro is a place of myth and folklore. Located 200 miles (325 km) from the equator, the mountain defies logic with its crown of ice.
Climbing Kilimanjaro does not require any technical skills or special equipment, just some physical fitness and determination. People from all walks of life, from a 7 year old child to an 89 year old woman, have successfully summited Kilimanjaro. But the challenge should not be taken lightly. You need to understand what lies ahead.
Altitude sickness, also called Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS), hypobaropathy and soroche, is an illness caused by exposure to the low air pressure; especially low partial pressure of oxygen, which many climbers experience at high altitudes.
AMS is caused by exerting yourself at high altitudes, especially if you have not been properly acclimatized. It is most common at altitudes above 2400 meters. Kilimanjaro peak is nearly 6000 meters above sea level. At this height, the air pressure (and the amount of oxygen it contains) is less than half that at sea level, and has been said to be comparable to ‘working with only one lung’.
AMS can be serious, especially as it can be debilitating, and it generally occurs far from places where medical treatment can be easily administered. viii
Not everyone suffers from AMS, of course, and it is very difficult to predict who is or is not vulnerable to it. Generally speaking, a fit person is less vulnerable than an unfit person, because their cardiovascular system can operate at low pressures longer without as much strain. Even so, anyone can be vulnerable at altitudes above 3500 meters, no matter their fitness level, if they have not spent some time getting used to the low atmospheric pressures first.
Undoubtedly the best way to see how you are going to react to high altitude is to go high and try to do some exercises. For most of us that isn’t an option so a good alternative is to have a session with a specialist altitude training company that have equipment that simulates the effects of altitude.
Avoiding AMS
I. Walk high, sleep low. It is best to gradually climb higher each day, and then descend lower to sleep. This lets you gradually become accustomed to lower pressures, and then recover somewhat overnight.
II. Slow and steady. You need to keep your respiration rate low enough to maintain a normal conversation. If you are panting or breathing hard, you must slow down. Overworking your heart and lungs substantially increases your chance of becoming ill.
III. Drink much more water than you think you need. Proper hydration helps acclimatization dramatically. You need to drink at least three liters each day. As dehydration presents many of the same symptoms as altitude sickness, your chances of being allowed to continue are best if you stay hydrated.
IV. Diamox. The general consensus of the research is that Diamox is helpful in avoiding AMS. We use it when climbing Kilimanjaro. We recommend you Google Diamox and its effects yourself. It is a prescription drug, and you should consult with your doctor before taking it.
Effects of exposure to low atmospheric pressure
I. Low oxygen saturation
At high altitudes and low pressures, each breath takes in less oxygen, and transfers less to the blood. Blood with low levels of oxygen is said to be poorly saturated. Having slightly low oxygen saturation can lead to fatigue and feeling breathless. Severe low oxygen saturation can cause impaired mental functions, reduce your decision making ability, and have other dangerous effects. All our guides have pulse-ox meters to check your oxygen saturation daily.
II. Cerebral oedema
Severely reduced air pressure can cause fluid to collect in the sinuses and air cavities in the skull. Initially it presents as a mild headache, but can eventually cause disorientation, coma and even death. Cerebral oedema can present very suddenly, and is an extremely serious medical issue.
III. Pulmonary oedema
This is caused by reduced air pressure in the lungs. Fluid sometimes begins to seep from the lung tissues into the air spaces of the lungs, making breathing even more difficult. This often presents like pneumonia, and is most likely to occur during sleep. ix
How to recognize AMS
AMS does not present as a slow, gradual worsening of lesser altitude-related symptoms like breathlessness or headache. It is in fact generally a rapid, dramatic onset of symptoms that can render a person unable to walk or take care of themselves at all.
Our guides are trained to recognize AMS and apply the appropriate first aid. They will monitor your blood oxygen saturation and evaluate your overall acclimatization, but it is vital that you monitor and report your condition accurately, for everyone’s safety.
Our client descent protocol
If our guides believe you may be in poor health or that allowing you to continue the climb may be dangerous, they will require you to begin your descent immediately. If that decision is made, it will be according to this protocol:
1) Measuring your oxygen saturation
If it is below 80%, then you will be required to submit to another test every half hour, for the next two hours. If your saturation does not rise to at least 75%, you will be required to descend immediately. If your saturation is at least 75%, you will be allowed to continue subject to close monitoring. If your condition worsens you must notify your guide immediately, and begin the descent.
2) Evaluation on the Lake Louise Scale
If your score is between 6 and 8 then the guide will consider whether you can continue based on your score, oxygen saturation levels, pulse rate and overall well-being. If you are allowed to continue, you will be monitored closely for the duration of the ascent. If your condition worsens you must notify your guide immediately, and begin the descent. If your Lake Louise Score is higher than 8, you must descend immediately.
What insurance do I need to climb Kilimanjaro?
Kilimanjaro Climbing Insurance is very essential because a mountain as high as Kilimanjaro does have dangers. You should ensure that you have good insurance to cover these risks. It is a condition of booking to climb Kilimanjaro that you have medical and accident insurance.
Your Kilimanjaro travel Insurance must cover helicopter evacuation if it becomes necessary. It should also cover the costs of getting home should you miss your scheduled flight due to accident, injury, illness or simple bad luck.
Your insurance must specifically include cover you to climb up to 6000 meters.
Your Kilimanjaro travel insurance should also protect against the ‘standard’ travel dangers, including: baggage delay, loss of personal items etc.
General Travel Insurance
Make sure that you have a travel and health care insurance.
It should at least cover:-
Costs for doctors, hospital and medicines
Emergency medical transportation (minimum of $25,000)
You have made a significant investment in your travel plans and while in most cases, everything will run smoothly, situations may arise on or before your trip that are out of our control as your travel agent and for which we cannot be held responsible. A Travel Insurance may help to make your trip more worry-free by protecting your investment and yourself.
Travel insurances can cover expenses resulting from situations such as:-
We can recommend insurance offered by Travel Insurance Center
For climbers based in the UK or the US, it is best to fly to Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO). KLM flies to JRO from all of the major UK airports and many of the larger US international airports as well. UK flights tend to leave early in the morning, transfer at Luchthaven Schiphol, Amsterdam’s main airport, and arrive at JRO late that same evening.
All of our tours begin at a town called Moshi, known as the gateway to Mount Kilimanjaro. Moshi is situated low on the mountain’s south slope, at an altitude of nearly 1000 meters above sea level. Moshi is only 25 miles from Kilimanjaro International Airport by car, and we will arrange transport from the airport to your hotel as part of your trek. Transport is generally available at any time, including the late evening or early morning, and takes approximately three quarters of an hour.
Moshi is an excellent choice for hotel accommodation during your stay, but it does fill up quickly during the peak season, so be sure to reserve your booking with us as early as possible. It is wise xi
to plan a rest day after such a long flight to recover and prepare yourself and your kit for the climb, rather than planning on hitting the mountain the next morning.
Getting to Kilimanjaro
Because Kilimanjaro is in Tanzania, you will need to more than likely travel to get there, this means flying to Kilimanjaro International Airport and then get to Moshi or Arusha, which is approximately 45 km away, to start your climb. If you can’t get into Kilimanjaro International Airport from a direct flight, you can fly to Dar es Salaam or Nairobi, Kenya and then head to the Kilimanjaro airport.
Tanzania safari cost vary depending with different number of factors such as tourist activities, accommodations type, your number of days, seasonality, group size etc. however You should budget $500 per person every day as a starting point, but it’s impossible to put a particular value on a vacation because there are so many variables to consider. Camping safaris, for example, are typically less expensive than resort safaris. The Serengeti and a few other northern circuit parks, on the other hand, include large hotels that are significantly less expensive.
The time of year has a significant influence as well. If you’re willing to travel during the rainy season, you’ll get a discount, but visiting during the peak of the wildebeest migration will cost you more.
Nevan Tours & Travel is a Tanzania-based tour operator specializing in authentic safari experiences, cultural tours, and tailor-made adventures across the country’s most iconic and remote destinations. With expert local guides and a commitment to quality, safety, and personalized service, we create unforgettable journeys that connect travellers to Tanzania’s wildlife, landscapes, and rich heritage.
© Copyright 2026. Nevan Tours & Travel | Designed by Computer Springs